


The Dawn I Chose to Forget

by Abyssia



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: AU/Continuation, F/M, Post Ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2014-05-08
Packaged: 2018-01-21 15:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1555889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abyssia/pseuds/Abyssia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nobuchika Ginoza's past continues to haunt him as he must confront another of his friends who fell beyond the law. Even with Makishima defeated, Division 1's work is far from over and new enforcers must be recruited to fill out the ranks. This girl he once new, a shadow of her former self, happens to show aptitudes that assure her the option of becoming an Enforcer just like him. The CID must fill out their ranks if they hope to stand up against an new yet deep-seated enemy that is soon to emerge from within the very minds of those they work to protect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Old Friends

It was the path that he had chosen to take. Even after all he had been through, he always knew that he’d go back. The MWPSB seemed to be always hurting for manpower, what with most citizens simply opting for the nice quiet life away from the horrors of humanity’s nightmares. With the echoes of chaos from Makishima’s reign, the CID would become as integral as ever in maintaining public order.

“Inspector, I understand that we’ll be needing new enforcers but…” He began apprehensively.

“But what?” Akane asked, with a slight curious inflection in her voice.

“Do we really have time to be making personal recruitment visits like this?  I thought they’d just be assigned to us.” He looked at the data on his terminal, his eyes widening when he saw the name. _Asahita Isano, age 27._

Akane shrugged, looking back to the road as their federal-issued vehicle drove itself easily through the relitvly light traffic. “Her data indicated she grew up in the same ward as you. I thought you could add some personal touch to our pitch.”

He pressed his lips together, looking out the window.

“Even so, shouldn’t you bring another _inspector_ with you?”

“There aren’t exactly enough to go around right now, and you know that. Shimotsuki is far too green still.”

“…of course.” They paused for a moment.

Akane glanced out the window again, then back at Ginoza before speaking. “So tell me... Did you know her at all? It looked like you recognised the name.”

“Yeah…” he gave a small smirk. “We grew up together, our mothers were friends. But, she was chronically ill, and ended up permanently hospitalised by the end of high school.”

Akane nodded. “It’s sad, really. Ii seems that she was still in long-term care up until the point her psycho-pass tipped over the edge. Sometimes the isolation gets to people.”

He nodded. Eager to avoid that particular subject.

Akane continued, “Her psycho-pass was on the edge up until three years ago, when it suddenly spiked. It says here that she had also just recently lost her mother in a freak accident.” She turned from her port to her companion. “You said that you knew her, did you ever visit her in the hospital?”

“I did, but that was a long time ago.”

Akane nodded, complying with his apparent desire to avoid the topic. "I honestly this this will help her. After being cooped up and denied so much for so long...A life as an Enforcer is surly preferable." She gave him a meaningful look. He cracked a small smile. Realising how she continued to take his old words and turn them around on him.

"Very well Inspector. I trust your judgment." Akane took control of the car as they turned into the Psych Ward parking lot, coming to a gentle stop. 

* * *

 

It was the same as any other recruitment visit. Sitting on the other side of the bullet-proof glass. He was seated side-by side with the inspector in rather uncomfortable chairs. The visitor’s side was modestly decorated, with smooth dark tile walls and potted trees on either side of the door behind them. All in stark contrast to the Psych-Patient’s side. The kind of sterile white that ensured that the inhabitant was not one to be trusted.

Past the reflection of the pastel lights, they could see the dejected-looking woman that was their Enforcer candidate.  Her face was almost completely hidden by long, surprisingly well-kempt hair that flowed past her shoulders and on to the floor. A humourless grin visible a midst the strands.

“It’s been over three years, Nobuchika. So why now?” Her voice came out in a hiss over the speakers.

Ginoza pursed his lips to reply, but Akane began before he could.

“I’m sure you were notified ahead of time, but we’re from the MWPSB.” Akane said, holding up her badge. “I’m inspector Tsunemori and this is my subordinate, enforcer Ginoza.”

The woman looked from Akane to Ginoza, “I’m glad, Nobuchika. You finally stopped wearing those bogus glasses.”  This garnered an odd look from the two of them. Isano smirked, and then made a gesture for them to continue.

Ginoza cleared his throat, preparing the schpeel he was accustomed to. “Sybil has determined that you have attributes that qualify you to become an Enforcer. Only now has your health improved enough for the ward to release you in good faith.” Ginoza said simply. His gaze somewhat soft, while he attempted to remain impassive.

When he looked up at her, she returned the look. Her grin hardening.

“So _that’s_ the reason. I’d hate it if you came actually wanting to see me.” She pulled one of the long strands behind her ear, revealing the rest of her face.

She looked tired above all. At one point, she would probably would have been considered rather beautiful, but it was clear that she hadn't made any efforts in quite some time. Her cheeks looked sallow, and her lips were badly chapped. Long eyelashes brushed against bruised-looking flesh below her eyes when she blinked. Even though ward residents would be subjected to artificially-induced sleep if necessary, she still looked as if she hadn't truly slept in weeks.

“That is the truth of it,” Akane said. “But that doesn't make our intentions ingenuous.” She gave a small sigh, collecting her thoughts. “The work of an enforcer is unsavoury to say the least. But I have confidence that you will do well. Sybil’s assessments show high levels of tenacity, intuition and ingenuity. All desirable qualities.” She paused to give Isano an opportunity to respond, continuing when she saw no cue. “We will also accommodate you in completing your physical rehabilitation in the on-sight facilities.” She opened her terminal, scrolling through the information. “You were involved in gymnastics when you were young…” she noted. “Those activities and others will be provided for you as a part of your upkeep.”

Isano’s gaze had become vague again, and she seemed to be no longer paying attention to Akane. “Ms. Asahita. Do you understand?”

She gave a slow nod, still looking down. Akane prepared to speak again when Ginoza put up a hand to politely stop her.

“Pardon me, Inspector. Do you mind if I speak with her alone for a moment?”

Akane gave him a carefully wary look. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be stepping out for a bit.”

Protocol required her to chaperone him, but even a shepherd was allowed her breaks.

“Asahita.” He began. “You know, as well as I do that this is your only chance. Turn this down and you may never see the light of day again.”

There was a pregnant pause as Isano seemed to be pondering what he said. A long strand of her hair began to fall over her face again. “What gave you the impression that I needed convincing?”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, about to speak when she continued.

“I don’t know why you think I’d resist this. I've been a prisoner my _whole_ life. Why do you think I’d turn the chance down now?”

He met her eyes, as both of them were revealed now. He didn't want to look at her, he didn't want to see what she had become. And he thought that he was finally able to face it, now that he had become a latent criminal as well.

“Maybe the truth is that you can’t read me as well as you think you can. Or as well as you could, once.”

“Asahita.” He said firmly.

“You know the answer, Nobuchika. So _why_ are you asking me?”

He pressed his lips together. “Maybe I thought you’d have some resentment of the MWPSB after…”

“After _what?_ ”

He grimaced. “You know…”

“Do I? Please, _enlighten me._ ”

“This is hardly the place to bring up such personal past.”

“Then where is? No matter where we go, something’s always listening. I’m sure that Sybil knows without you even having to say it.”

“ _Asahita_.” He said a little more firmly. His emotions begin to build up.

“Well, I have a question for you.” She said in clear disregard to his warning.

“What is it.” He replied flatly.

She paused before speaking again. “Why did you stop visiting me?" Ginoza bit his lip. He wished that she would just leave it be. At least for now.  "Up until that day, three years ago, you visited whenever you could. Sometimes, even Shinya came with you-- ”

“Isano, _enough!”_ He nearly shouted. Isano gave a look of surprise at his outburst. One that continued as she watched how quickly he collected himself when his superior re-entered. Akane regarded them both, and then sat down.

“So, Asahita. Do you have an answer for me?” She looked directly at her, unwavering.

Isano tore her eyes from Ginoza, giving Akane a no-less dark smile. “I accept. Thank you for your time today.”

Akane nodded, gesturing to Ginoza that their job was done.

Ginoza kept looking at her as they stood up, trying to read her, but failing. He simply turned on his heel, adjusting the collar of his coat.

“Goodbye, Nobuchika. I look forward to working with you.” He shrugged the comment off, letting the door close behind them without another word.

* * *

 

The silence returned to them as Akane and Nobuchika made their way back to the station, the car doing more of the navigating as usual.  He was obviously more disgruntled, leaning his chin up against his hand as he glared out the window.

“Ginoza--”

“I’d rather not discuss it.”

She smirked slightly. “Well, whatever you did, it seemed to work.”

“What I did was irrelevant. She made it clear to me that she had no resistance to becoming an Enforcer. My anticipations were incorrect.”

Akane observed him carefully. His face had returned to the same bleak controlled mask he had once donned when she first met him. Her gut feeling told her that there was far more here than he was letting on. “Ms. Asahita said that it had been over three years…does that--” She stopped mid-sentence, there was no real need to explain further.

Akane thought that there must be some connection, between all of it. The specimen case, Shinya’s Demotion; and Ginoza's sudden decision to stop visiting his psychologically-unstable friend. “Well, none-the-less,” Akane continued. “Her high mental aptitudes and academic qualifications will serve her well in the CID. No matter what sort of past she has.”

Ginoza nodded deftly. Forcing memories of those old days from his mind. He had to follow his own advice. Let the past be the past, and focus on the future.


	2. Rapunzel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isano is on her way to becoming a full member of Unit One, but there are certain things she must take car of before she can call herself an Enforcer.

Isano sat alone in her empty Enforcer flat. Criminals didn’t get the luxury of a Secretary so she would have to decorate her room the old fashioned way. The walls were bare and dingy. There was a considerable amount of opening space to be filled. Bare concrete floors without so much as a throw rug. Despite its emptiness, there was no silence to be found as the air was littered by the buzzing of cheap florescent lights and the rusty scraping of the decrepit ceiling fan. There was a study, a bedroom and bathroom connected to the main room all as solemn and empty. Looking around, she saw evidence that it had been occupied not long before her. The wall above the desk in the study was riddled with holes, and there were even bits of paper stuck in the pins, as if whoever had cleared this place had been somewhat hasty. She was glad that they chose to leave the books. Real, leather-bound tomes. Far more real and enticing than mere bits of data on an info terminal.  
When she was dropped off, the medical personnel had pointed her to the piles of clothes on the couch and other amenities that were provided in the adjacent bathroom. She had been notified that most of the items in her room were sight-bound. An alarm would sound if they were removed. The nurse had taken care to point out that in her bathroom, there was a small pair of hair scissors.  
And there Isano sat, on her couch, turning the scissors over in her hands. Glancing to the mirror and holding them up experimentally to her hair, then letting her hands fall back into her lap.

Hearing a knock from the door, she replied with an apprehensive, “Come in!”

Ginoza stood in the door frame, looking from her face to her hands. Isano’s grip tightened on the scissors as she gave him a failed smile.  
“Hello, Nobu.”

“I’d hardly say we’re on such familiar terms as of now, Asahita.”

“Well not if you insist on calling me by my last name like that.” She shrugged her shoulders. Not willing to put up such searing wit this time. “What brings you here?”

“I wanted to check up on you. See how you were doing. You made a request for your rehabilitation to start immediately. That isn’t an error, is it?”

“No. No it’s not.”

He let himself relax a little. “I was surprised honestly.” When she gave him a puzzled look, he made a gesture towards his head, indicating her hair.

“Oh.” Her free hand went to the thick braid that was draped over her shoulder. “It’s obvious that I’ll have to cut this, huh?”

“Didn’t you…” he paused, she looked up at him curiously again. “Didn’t you say that you would cut it as soon as you got better?”

“Wow…I can’t believe you remember that…” Ginoza shrugged in response. “Yes,” Isano continued. “I suppose I did say that. But, I have gotten rather attached to it.”

“It’s not like you’re required to cut it yourself or anything.”

“No, I want to do it myself.” She picked up the scissors, opening them and letting the light glint off the blades. “My mother used to tell me that my long hair would give me luck. Hundreds of years ago it was the standard of beauty among noble ladies.” She snapped the scissors closed, blocking the light from her view. “So I told myself that that it’d help me get better.”

“The point is that such long hair is nothing but a safety hazard in this line of work.”

“I know, Nobuchika. I don’t need you to tell me that.” She tore her eyes from the blades and looked at him. Still standing there in the dim lights.

“Asahita…”

“I’m sorry. I suppose I’m interrupting you.” She snapped the scissors open and closed again. “What did you really come here to say?”  
He gave a sigh, pulling one of the chairs from a near-by table and sitting down.

“I thought I’d give you a proper answer.” He stated. Clasping his hands together on his lap.

“So, you’re gonna tell me why you abandoned me?”

He grimaced. She always had to make things so difficult. “It’s not like I wanted to abandon you--”

“How was I supposed to know otherwise?! From my perspective, everyone was leaving me! My parents I could understand. They had no choice. But…Keisa…and Suzuka. They “just couldn’t deal” They were scared of catching my clouded hue.” She paused, allowing the expression to her face to catch up on her words.

The faces of her “friends” flashed before her mind’s eye. A particular memory stuck, resting on her eyelids as she closed her eyes. The day of her high school graduation, when she had been too sick to attend, all four of them and her parents had shown up to deliver her diploma and laugh and celebrate as if there was nothing wrong in the world. Before then it was only in-and-out visits to the hospital. Her 18th birthday had ironically coincided with her chronic diagnosis and her subsequent sentence. Recovery was only possible through constant care and close observation; which in the end, meant isolation.  
Isano’s pale hazel eyes slid open, half expecting for Nobuchika to disappear along with the memory. To her surprise, he was still there. A sardonic grin slid across her face, her head drooping. “That’s what you were afraid of too, right? That’s why you left, right? You and your precious hue--”

“Isano! Stop acting like you knew what I was thinking!” He stood up angrily from his chair, standing up and grabbing her by the wrist, dragging her to her feet.

“Nobu--” She uttered in surprise.

“I’m _sorry_ , okay? I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you.” He found it difficult to meet her eyes after that. “I was afraid, but not for my hue.” He looked down, the slightest tremor entering the hand that still held her wrist. “The day that Shinya was officially re-classified, my crime coefficient peaked as high as 70. I went to visit you later that month, and they notified me that you had given a reading above 90 just the week before.”

Isano’s words caught in her throat as she began to realise. “Nobu-”

He continued. “They wanted to scan me for psycho-risk and I bailed. I—I didn’t want to be the one to tell you—and risk losing you too.”

They were silent for a moment. They both knew. It was obvious, that his abandonment had the exact opposite effect. Her crime-coefficient had spiked not long after that very day, causing her to be officially classified as a Latent Criminal.

“Nobu—I’m sorry I--”

“You didn’t know. It’s…fine.” It didn’t look like he was going to move any time soon, so she opted to work with what she had. She twisted her wrist in his grip, feeling it loosen. He expected her to walk away, to leave; but instead, her freed hand reached to tenderly touch his cheek.

He gasped slightly, turning to look at her finally.

“Nobu. I’m not mad at you. I’m just, sad, hurt; as you would imagine. That doesn’t mean that you have to shoulder this guilt. Like always, you simply did what you thought was best. Making those tough choices was always something you were good at.”

“But…I made the wrong choice.” He said, his voice cracking.

“I didn’t say you were good at making the right choice. Sometimes just making the choice at all is the hardest part.”

“So…you forgive me?” He managed, his throat becoming thick.

“I never blamed you to begin with.” Her smile was warm, gentle and kind. Almost enough to distract him from her sunken and dishevelled appearance. “I think, you still need to forgive yourself.”

He gave a dry laugh, walking away from her and sitting down again. “You’ve missed a lot too, you know.”

“I know. You tend to miss a lot being locked up in a mental facility.”

“Sorry, that was insensitive.”

She nodded in acknowledgement. “Tell me then. It’s easy to see that you’ve changed a lot.” She pulled up another chair, sitting across from him. “It’s just sad, that it had to be something as big as your father’s death.”

“My thoughts exactly. In reality, I was just stubborn. Stubborn for far too long.”

“You’re way cuter without your glasses anyway.”

That comment caught him off guard. His head snapping up, a light blush dusting his cheeks despite himself.

She giggled, a rare sound of mirth that washed away any embarrassment he felt and replaced it with pure relief. Relief that she wasn’t too far gone quite yet.

“The point is,” Ginoza continued, “is that I had it in my head that keeping those glasses clean would somehow help my hue.” He looked at her after a contemplative moment.

“That’s what your hair has become, right? The ward staff noted how you spent most of your time obsessively brushing it.”  
She didn’t respond right away, her hand going to grip her braid almost defensively. “Your point?”

“My point is that it’s useless to hold onto such things. I was just trying to distract myself from what was really bothering me.”  
She withdrew, coiling her braid in her lap, the scissors slipping to the ground.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, leaning towards her. “You…had so much _resolve_ before.”

“I need your help.” She said softly.

He blinked at her, slightly surprised for a moment at the look of near-vulnerability on her face.  
She sputtered slightly before adding a clarification. “I--If I cut it myself…it will just end up all uneven…”

“Oh…oh of course.” Ginoza stooped to the ground then, picking up the discarded scissors.

“I just need to cut the bulk of it off. I can get a style drone to even it out later.”  
He nodded in silence, as she stood up, dragging her chair to the bathroom. He followed, noting how she still seemed nervous despite her resolve.  
When she was seated, she began undoing the braid some-what shakily. After she was done, she slid the hair band, twisting it in place at the centre of her shoulder blades. “Just, go ahead at cut right above the band.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing as she felt the scissors brush against her neck before closing half-way around her hair.  
In response to her tension, Ginoza placed a hand briefly on her shoulder before using it to hold the hair in place. “Do you need a count-down?”  
“I’m not a child, just do it--”

Before she could finish, the clean, scattered crunch of the severing stands pricked in her ears. Followed by the soft thud as it coiled in a heap on the floor. She expected to feel more afraid than before, but instead, she felt herself become strangely relieved.

Her breath caught, and she shut her eyes letting out the relieved huff. The shuddering of her shoulders gave the impression that she perhaps was crying. Ginoza, after collecting the severed hair, touched her shoulder again, leaning in to her ear. “Are you alright?” Her head bobbed slightly as her lips remained pressed together.  
“Open your eyes.” He almost whispered.

With a wince, she looked up, and saw her reflection in the mirror. Nobuchika was still right there, smiling gently. Her hand grabbed a large handful of hair, watching and feeling as it stopped dreadfully short. She turned the raw edges around in her fingers, still struggling to fully absorb the change.

“Look, you’re improving already. I think it suits you.”  
She let herself laugh. It honestly looked awful at present. The jagged bangs on either side were too long in the front, as to be expected. But even as she fiddled with the foreign feeling hair, she could see it begin to spring back into the gentle curls it once had when she was very young. Isano found herself smiling despite herself. A bubbly feeling in her chest that caused her to be almost giddy.

She stood up, the light and airy feelings propelling her forward on her tip-toes to fling her arms around his neck in a rather exuberant hug. “Ah-” Ginoza let out a note of surprise, stumbling back a few paces. She stopped and drew away after she realised what she was doing.

An awkward moment passed between them. Isano holding her hands to her chest as if she had been burned.

Ginoza cleared his throat, bringing a fist to his mouth. “Very well, Asahita.” He turned sharply making his way to the door. “I’ll make a request to the inspector for your accommodations to be met first thing tomorrow morning.” He still hadn’t fully gotten used to his new rank, and felt a responsibility to her and the other enforcers, even though he was but among their ranks.

“But—Nobu--!” She started, watching him walk away.  
He placed a hand on the open door and glanced back for a moment. “Good night, Asahita.” The door slid shut automatically before she could even return the gesture. Almost defiantly, she turned on her heel and strode back to her severed hair, taking it in her hands. She stared at it for a moment, before her resolve became complete. Without a second thought, her feet carried her to the disposal bin. Opened it with a button, and let the seemingly endless strands of her past slide away. Out of sight, out of mind. This had to be her first step in finally finding her own path.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think! As always I'm nervous about putting my OCs out there, but I've put too much effort into this to let it go to waste. I have to do something to keep myself occupied before season 2 where all of this will inevitably be crushed by the Canon Cannon. I just want Ginoza to at least have a chance at a semblence of happiness.


End file.
